[cma-l] 20 million listeners for Bristol Community fm

[Phil Gibbons]

A great story from Bristol......

Next time someone asks you if you know how many listeners community 
radio attracts you can say 20 million. Or at least that is what happened 
on Thursday 31st January when the presenter Israa Zinalabdin and her 
radio team from the Sudan National Radio station broadcast live to the 
Sudan from BCfm 93.2fm

BCfm's Mohammed El Sharif and Mohammed Makawi who present the Sudanese 
show on Saturdays from 4pm to 7pm were part of the special live show 
from the BCfm studios on Thursday 31st  January at 7pm. This show was 
simulcast to the Sudan where the show regularly attracts around 
20million listeners!

Israa and her team were invited to the UK by the Sudanese community of 
Bristol.  They had heard of the Sudanese show on BCfm and wanted to show 
support by accepting the invitation.   They also wanted to provide the 
Sudanese people in Africa with a positive experience of the Sudanese 
community in the UK and to bridge gaps and open communication channels 
between the two continents as well as to reflect the tolerance and 
co-existence of the UK society. This was the first time the Sudan 
National Broadcasting Corporation had done a live outside broadcast from 
anywhere in Europe and was received with excitement and positivity with 
their listeners back home.

After the show at BCfm, they went to the BBC to record with 'BCfm on BBC 
Radio Bristol'. This is a two hour show on local BBC that is presented 
by BCfm presenters and showcases BCfm output.  Joanne Schofield who 
produces the show said "..it was a privilege to have Israa and her team 
as guests on the BBC, I could see just how important this was to the 
Sudanese community in Bristol and also in Africa.  That's why I got into 
the media industry ……to make a real difference, and this is exactly what 
we have done at BCfm and I am proud to have been just a little part of 
that".

Station Manager, Phil Gibbons said "This is a great example of how 
Community radio can bring so much to people's lives. Mohammed and 
Mohammed have been presenting this show since BCfm started last March, 
and it is one of many shows in which the presenters broadcast in their 
own language on the station. BCfm 93.2fm is all about giving communities 
a voice in Bristol and if a show like this can achieve a positive 
outcome and puts Bristol on the international map, then long may it last"

To hear the BBc interview, go to www.bbc.co.uk/bristol and listen again 
to BCfm Sunday